They come just before the evening meal
Polite, well dressed, following form, following convention.
Herbiesan invites them into the boardroom, all wood, polish, portraits……….a place of money, a place of power.
The general, the admiral, the air chief. The aids close the door behind them, leaving the four of them in the silence
“yes gentlemen?”
A hesitation.
“Sir, we come on behalf of japan……….we think we, no, we know , we must face the inevitable, sir, we must seek peace, the war……..
I am over this defeatism……….so over it.
I draw my gun, hidden in the waistband, and shoot them………………. It is too easy, really
I don't know what is more amusing, the look on their faces, or the thought that they could persuade me to give up all i have
Stupid men.
Damnation……….what a mess. And I will need another general staff……….damnation.
22nd sentai Chengsha, Fuchida does not fly, they lose a man, kill another 15 P51’s.
In the afternoon, 71st sentai fly in, another 48 crack Franks.
This is a backwater of the war. But war is about killing. And here, the killing continues our way.
So why not double up?
Zuiho marks time, bouncing in the swells
With regularity, the Jills and zekes depart, arrive. Takeji leaves his Bridge, stands on the flight dek, watching his eagles work.
Three men come onto the upper deck, flight gear as stained as ever. They stop, salute.
“Another round men?”
They nod.
“Where is Nicaido?”
The men exchange glances, glances that say a great deal indeed……..
“In his cabin sir, something about maintenance schedules……….”
Takeji cannot answer………….
I have a sky full of planes, a sea full of enemy…………and he is doing………….
NO, wait, he is NOT Hidaka, I must give him a chance………………
The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: The little ship that could.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
21 July
Hidaka, whan I last looked, 540 odd missions, experience 87, 2 kills
(I think, long time since I checked)
Combined fleet recieves her eagles back again from Soerabaya, a great many new men, men who can fly, yes, most of them even experienced carrier trained men, but men who really need time to be incorporated into the carefully constructed puzzle of a combined air operations group.
But there will be no time. The next tme these new men will launch, it will be into battle.
The fleet steams south east again, for the allies are coming west, approaching Roti island in strength.
maybe, just maybe, they think KB has retired towards Singapore.
A thin hope.
But one Abe hangs his plans upon.
The allies jump across the river at moulmien. It is a bloody affair.
But across they get, and once again a japanese army begins to fight its way south, trying to avoid encirclement.
And regretfully we have to pause, cantona, after many trials, welcomes a new baby into the world.
he's a bit tired, me thinks..............[:)]
Hidaka, whan I last looked, 540 odd missions, experience 87, 2 kills
(I think, long time since I checked)
Combined fleet recieves her eagles back again from Soerabaya, a great many new men, men who can fly, yes, most of them even experienced carrier trained men, but men who really need time to be incorporated into the carefully constructed puzzle of a combined air operations group.
But there will be no time. The next tme these new men will launch, it will be into battle.
The fleet steams south east again, for the allies are coming west, approaching Roti island in strength.
maybe, just maybe, they think KB has retired towards Singapore.
A thin hope.
But one Abe hangs his plans upon.
The allies jump across the river at moulmien. It is a bloody affair.
But across they get, and once again a japanese army begins to fight its way south, trying to avoid encirclement.
And regretfully we have to pause, cantona, after many trials, welcomes a new baby into the world.
he's a bit tired, me thinks..............[:)]
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
welcomes a new baby into the world
RE: The little ship that could.
Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu
RE: The little ship that could.
Port Engine room:
Hirate is writing up the log, filling in the current machinery state. For two days now Zuiho has steamed at cruising speed, her eagles arranged on her decks, ready, but not aloft.
Since the last action, for the men below, life has continued in its routine manner, for news from the bridge has been sparse indeed.
They could be in the Indian ocean, the pacific, the bloody atlantic for all they know, the ocean is blue everywhere.
Hirate writes, and starts a new page, 22 July, 1944.
He begins a new line, 1800 hours, completed transferring to port ready use tank, transfer pumps secured..
At 1801, the helm indicator turns, and he feels Zuiho heel.
Zuiho straightens, the helm admidships
The bells tingle.
The revolution counter twirls, the figures rest. Revolutions 296.
damn near full power.......
he places the log down, the throttle watch keeper answers the bells.
"second condensate pump, standby oil pump, shut main engine drains"
calmly his third hand reacts, walking to the required machinery
Hirate bends to the microphone.........."You right over there Lurch?"
'Hie!,bring it on!"
Hirate smiles, eyes the guages.
About him, Zuihos heart quickens, the scream of machinery rises in octive.
Another day, full power again
he has no way of knowing, of course, what this order has begun
Abe has chosen his moment .
At full power, Combined fleet is charging towards the enemy carriers, now positively identified at 80 miles east of Koepang
Tomorrow, if all goes to plan.
Carrier clash.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Great, just when I am out of nails to chew off.
RE: The little ship that could.
23 July 44
Action stations for Zuiho is programmed for 0200 hours.
Nearly all of her men are at their stations well before then, veterans to a man, they have done this before. Gods willing, they will do it again
Her hatches are shut, her magazines filled. below decks, all her fire pumps run, her steam systems isolated into units, Port and starboard
She continues to race east, through a dark, wet night. There is no moon, what there is is hidden behind low wet clouds, squalls.
By 0300, as ordered, as expected, her Jills beat their beat on the flight deck, dark shadows on the flight deck, the shaded lamps giving barely enough light for the work in hand.
takeji takes his helmet, and makes his way to the little conning tower. Its wet, almost cold. But he needs to be here, needs to see them off.
A quiet shadow joins him, Nikaido.
he nods acknowledgement.
Is he Hidaka?. Who knows.
Today, maybe, we will find out.
The Flight commander speaks
"Tokyo is 50 square miles of wood and paper.........today we must, must win"
Takeji cannot reply. It is a thought to terrible to think about.
The flight commander moves to the rail, nods his head.
A flag, waiting, falls
"Commence launching"
Zuiho goes to work again.
One by one, the Jills rumble away, 11 only now, yesterday one has gone missing.
Nikaido salutes, and hurries away, the zeros are coming up, the ilots sheltering below takeji.
There is laughter, smiles even.
And why not?
About them, above them, the air is filling.
Abe will not wait for dawns reports, he intends to strike now.
The morning is breaking.
A morning, wet grey, low clouds, cieling 5000, clouds stacked to 20000.
A grey morning
There is no sunburst this day.
0430 hours
battle breakfast. A meal worthy for the day.
And the last, for many, many of them.................
Action stations for Zuiho is programmed for 0200 hours.
Nearly all of her men are at their stations well before then, veterans to a man, they have done this before. Gods willing, they will do it again
Her hatches are shut, her magazines filled. below decks, all her fire pumps run, her steam systems isolated into units, Port and starboard
She continues to race east, through a dark, wet night. There is no moon, what there is is hidden behind low wet clouds, squalls.
By 0300, as ordered, as expected, her Jills beat their beat on the flight deck, dark shadows on the flight deck, the shaded lamps giving barely enough light for the work in hand.
takeji takes his helmet, and makes his way to the little conning tower. Its wet, almost cold. But he needs to be here, needs to see them off.
A quiet shadow joins him, Nikaido.
he nods acknowledgement.
Is he Hidaka?. Who knows.
Today, maybe, we will find out.
The Flight commander speaks
"Tokyo is 50 square miles of wood and paper.........today we must, must win"
Takeji cannot reply. It is a thought to terrible to think about.
The flight commander moves to the rail, nods his head.
A flag, waiting, falls
"Commence launching"
Zuiho goes to work again.
One by one, the Jills rumble away, 11 only now, yesterday one has gone missing.
Nikaido salutes, and hurries away, the zeros are coming up, the ilots sheltering below takeji.
There is laughter, smiles even.
And why not?
About them, above them, the air is filling.
Abe will not wait for dawns reports, he intends to strike now.
The morning is breaking.
A morning, wet grey, low clouds, cieling 5000, clouds stacked to 20000.
A grey morning
There is no sunburst this day.
0430 hours
battle breakfast. A meal worthy for the day.
And the last, for many, many of them.................
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
A game note.............
In the battle ahead, judys set at 16000 feet, and every single one level bombs.............
In the battle ahead, judys set at 16000 feet, and every single one level bombs.............
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Combined fleet has achieved what has taken the amaericans oh so long to learn, again
A co ordinated strike
120 Jills, 120 Judys, 120 zeros..........they speed due east, forced to skim the base of the grey at 5000 feet, busting through the showers
Ahead, the airwaves are full.............carriers, many carriers............dead ahaed.
But also, behind, the chatter of the chase as combined fleets CAP hunts her snoopers too.
They speed on, Japans mighty sword
Unseen, in this early murk, an equally large strike, going due West.................
A co ordinated strike
120 Jills, 120 Judys, 120 zeros..........they speed due east, forced to skim the base of the grey at 5000 feet, busting through the showers
Ahead, the airwaves are full.............carriers, many carriers............dead ahaed.
But also, behind, the chatter of the chase as combined fleets CAP hunts her snoopers too.
They speed on, Japans mighty sword
Unseen, in this early murk, an equally large strike, going due West.................
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
extract from shattering the sword, a cantona production...........
23rd July
They have fenced, they have crossed swords. they have barely met in battle, there has been seemingly endless missed opportunities.
Today, there will be no missing.
Today, the giants must clash.
Abe has seen it..........the invasion force coming west. The anchor tied to the allied legs.............a chance for surprise, a chance to strike with out enemy LBA on this wet day.
A chance he MUST take.
And this morning, they take it.............................almost
Coming in through the grey, forced low by the murk, thuis strike achievs almost perfect surprise.
Over 200 fighters await them, less than 30 intercept.
The allied flak, murderous, barks.
The bombers, still 100 jills, 110 judy strong, commence the attack.
23rd July
They have fenced, they have crossed swords. they have barely met in battle, there has been seemingly endless missed opportunities.
Today, there will be no missing.
Today, the giants must clash.
Abe has seen it..........the invasion force coming west. The anchor tied to the allied legs.............a chance for surprise, a chance to strike with out enemy LBA on this wet day.
A chance he MUST take.
And this morning, they take it.............................almost
Coming in through the grey, forced low by the murk, thuis strike achievs almost perfect surprise.
Over 200 fighters await them, less than 30 intercept.
The allied flak, murderous, barks.
The bombers, still 100 jills, 110 judy strong, commence the attack.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The enemy carriers are spread over nearly 40 square miles, 3 task forces, 4 CVE in each, with a CVL in the centre.
The Dive bombers perform terribly..............they score but one hit.
The TBDs are clawed out of the sky in droves.
They come in
They come in, and they kill.
The Dive bombers perform terribly..............they score but one hit.
The TBDs are clawed out of the sky in droves.
They come in
They come in, and they kill.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
"From taiho sir..........9 CVE reported sunk, 2 heavily damaged.............strike returning"
Takeji grips the rail............Oh good. very, very good. He turns to his deck, where two of his zeros are preparing to depart.
Ogawa, Diogawa....
Good hunting friends............
"Sir!, report from tahio............enemy strike inbound!, 100 plus!"
100 plus.
Too many. Far too many.
Ahead, 3 miles away, a squall, heavy, dark.
He bends to the voice tube
"Engine room..........give me all you have got chief!"
Below him, Zuiho trembles, as if sensing the danger above.
To the east, the skies begin to blossom with black and white flowers.
Tracking the strike coming in.
Takeji grips the rail............Oh good. very, very good. He turns to his deck, where two of his zeros are preparing to depart.
Ogawa, Diogawa....
Good hunting friends............
"Sir!, report from tahio............enemy strike inbound!, 100 plus!"
100 plus.
Too many. Far too many.
Ahead, 3 miles away, a squall, heavy, dark.
He bends to the voice tube
"Engine room..........give me all you have got chief!"
Below him, Zuiho trembles, as if sensing the danger above.
To the east, the skies begin to blossom with black and white flowers.
Tracking the strike coming in.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Ogawa darts behind the hellcat, his machine guns hammer, the beautiful blue barsted twists away.........he curses, out of cannon ammo already..tracer hammers past, he rolls, dodging, cursing, the barsteds are all over him........
banking hard, trying for the bombers again....gods, hellcat!
Something smashes behind him, his fighter slews alarmingly, flicks into a spin....
Full opposite rudder....come on you bitch..........she recovers, stick forward, gently pull her out...........ocean close, too close,.the fleet ahead, the barsteds swarming all over them.
'Don't let them through"
But this time they have.
banking hard, trying for the bombers again....gods, hellcat!
Something smashes behind him, his fighter slews alarmingly, flicks into a spin....
Full opposite rudder....come on you bitch..........she recovers, stick forward, gently pull her out...........ocean close, too close,.the fleet ahead, the barsteds swarming all over them.
'Don't let them through"
But this time they have.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Zuiho is doing 27 knots.
Her guns bark, defiant
Takeji sees Kasagi take a fish on his flank, Mizuho take two.
7 Avengers............stbd flank.coming in so truking fast!
"hard to port"!
hard to port...............gods...too late
Her guns bark, defiant
Takeji sees Kasagi take a fish on his flank, Mizuho take two.
7 Avengers............stbd flank.coming in so truking fast!
"hard to port"!
hard to port...............gods...too late
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The bang of the hit on kasagi reverbs through damage control central, the devil himself with his hammer.
Minobe goes white
trance like, he reaches for the phone, picks it up, puts it down
he mumbles.........'the captain wants me".....
And to the astonishment of the men in this tight little hole, he gets up and leaves
Minobe goes white
trance like, he reaches for the phone, picks it up, puts it down
he mumbles.........'the captain wants me".....
And to the astonishment of the men in this tight little hole, he gets up and leaves
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
July 23rd, 1944
1032 hours, and zuiho swallows her first fish.
And 7 seconds later, her second.
1032 hours, and zuiho swallows her first fish.
And 7 seconds later, her second.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Oh crap!
RE: The little ship that could.
Oh NO!!! 1000ft too high to enable dive bombing! Argh!ORIGINAL: 1275psi
A game note.............
In the battle ahead, judys set at 16000 feet, and every single one level bombs.............
Of such little things are battles decided upon .... very realistic, but still so disheartening. [:(]
Pax
RE: The little ship that could.
Oh no, I've never had Zuiho survive 2 torps ... she struggles to survive one ... hopefully no secondary explosions ... with a little luck maybe she can survive the day, but to reach a port ....ORIGINAL: 1275psi
July 23rd, 1944
1032 hours, and zuiho swallows her first fish.
And 7 seconds later, her second.
Pax